From a vision established in 1996, Octa determined the implementation strategy for this significant new project. It included an international search for Design Consultants that would take the Library into the new age of data (as well as books). Octa then managed the user input to a design process that was often treading new ground in an international sense.
To maintain facilities for the current students, a staged construction programme was determined. This involved building around the existing library before decanting and undergoing a significant milestone. In this manner the effect of service delivery was minimised, consistent with the strategy to manage access to the collection.
As the project involved refurbishment of the existing library building, the relocation of the existing collection and decanting into the new facility, along with the purchase and supply of fittings and equipment, formed a key part of the overall project.
Octa recognised the importance of integrating service delivery enhancements into the overall strategy. Therefore, in parallel with the detailed design and construction process, Octa worked closely with the Library to establish parameters for future collection growth, along with what needed to occur with the existing collection to enable construction to proceed. This consideration also included determining the long term growth strategy and what aspects of the collection would be stored on a permanent basis in other facilities.
